Tire chain and chain tightener



y 26, 1953 M. w. PIKE 2,639,75 3

' TIRE CHAIN AND CHAIN TIGHTENER Filed Jan. 17, 1950 3 $heeqs-Sheet 2 May 26, 1953 M. .w.. PIKE 2,639,753

- TIRE CHAIN AND CHAIN TIGHTENER I Filed Jan. 17, 1959 s Sheets-Sheet s l lllllllll l INVENTOR. z4 M .-w. PIE E BY 4. 6 7 p07] i 2 3T TORNEYS 3 which insures that the links or sections will always swing inwardly toward the center of the sectional ring like members. This is one form of a hinge joint that might be employed.

Referring to Figures 2, 3 and 4, the top section II has the sections or links l8 pivotally connected thereto by means of the pivot pins 24. Mounted on the pivot pins 24 of the top section or link I! are two levers 25 and 26. Each lever is provided with an elongated slot 21 to allow the levers to have a sliding movement on the pivot pins 24. The two levers are connected together by a pivotpin 28 so that these levers function as a toggle. The free ends of each lever are bevelled or reduced as at 29, on its lower face and this bevelled or reduced portion rests and-slides upon guide pins 30 and 3|, projecting from the sides of the two sections or links l8.

A plate 32 is curved lengthwise on its under surface to conform to the upper surfaces of the links or. sections I 1, 25 -and 2-6 as illustrated in Figure 5. This plate 32 is provided with an arm 33 projecting u wardly from its upper surface, which arm is disposed between ears 34 formed along one side and adjacent the pivoted end of the lever 26 by means of a pivot pin 35.- A cross chain 22 is connected to the arm 33 and at one end thereof and its opposite end is connected to the top section or link l4 of the ring member located on the front or outer side of the wheel.

When the inner and outer ring members are applied to the tire the toggle levers 25 and 26 will be drawn into registry or parallelism with ward each other and bringing the free ends of the sections IS in adjacent but spaced relationship. The handle or lever 41 when brought into engagement with the cylinder 40 is held in such position by a sleeve 5|, which fits over the end of the cylinder 40. The sleeve 5| is provided with a bayonet slot 52 for engagement with a pin or stud 53 whichprojeots abov the surface of the handle 41 and'i'n' this manner locks the handle to the cylinder and maintains the'sections of the outer ring member in their innermost position. The inner end of the rod 4| is provided with a "collar-51 and loosely disposed on the rod between the collar 51 and piston 42 is a loosely mounted pawl or dog 56. The cylinder 40 is provided with an elongated slot 58 through which the pawl projects and slides as the rod 4| moves within the cylinder. The handle 41 is provided with a plurality of transverse openings or slots 59 and the top section or link I! and the plate 32 will-be 1 caused to ride over theupper surface of thelink or section l1 and brought to rest to overlie the upper surface of the link or section l1 and the pivoted ends of the levers 25 and 26. The pivot pin 28 is urged inwardly by a spring 36 and when the section or link I! and pivoted ends of the levers 25 and 26 are brought into parallelism and held in such position by the plate 32 the pin will enter an opening 31 in the section or link for securing section I! and the levers 25 and 26 together, thereby locking the inner or rear ring member in place. The lower outer surface of the link or section II is bevelled as at 38 to permit the end of'the pinto ride up the surface of the section or link and-causeit to enter-the opening 31 when the parts are brought into alignment.

rod 4| is provided with av hook 44, which passes through an opening 45 in one of the sections or links l6. The rod 4| is preferably threaded to the hook 44 so that the hook may be securely connected to the section or-link I6, and a lock nut 46 is screwed on the rod 4| and against the hook 44 for holding the hook in 'engagement with the end of the rod 4|. A- handle or lever 4'! is pivoted to the inner end of the cylinder and pivotally connected to the lever is a second rod 48, which is provided with a hook 49 for engaging the section or link IS on the opposite side ofthe ring like member from the hook 44. This hook 49 passes through an opening 50 and is capable of being attached or removed at the will of the operator. When the handle or lever is swung toward the cylinder, from the position shown in Figure 7 the sections or links of the front or outer member of the ring member will be drawn tov 50 Connected to the front or outer ring member is when the handle is moved to a position for engagement withthe cylinder 40. the pawl will project through an opening 59 and prevent the links or sections of the inner ring member from moving outwardly toward the periphery of the tire due to the tension that ha been placed upon the spring 43 when thelever 41 is attached to the cylinder) by the sleeve 5|. However, should there be any slack in the cross chains that requires taking up the spring being under tension would exert a force on the piston 42 and move the rod 4| toward the opposite end of the cylinder and thereby cause the dOgor pawl to engage another slot or opening in the handle 41 to take up any slack that may occur in the cross chains. The chain tightener whenthe lever 41 is secured to the cylinder 40 preferably extends horizontally with respect to the base of the wheel and parallel to the road surface and is situated above the bottom links or sections and in line with the recessed portion that exists between the hub cap and rim of the wheel. Any suitable covering (not shown) may be applied over the openings or slots 59 to prevent the ingress of 1 side of the wheel. After the chain has been draped over the wheel with the cross chains 20 and, 22 resting on theftire,, a' small pull chain 60 attached to the. cross-chain 22 adjacent the-top section 'or' link l4 of theouter ring member is grasped for pulling. the cross chain 22 taut, and

this action will cause the toggle levers 25 and 26 to. be drawn into I 1;

parallelism with the top link This'action will-cause the cam plate 32 to guide thelevers into position with the link ll and as it is pivotally connected to the lever 26 it will ride over the top-orupper surface of the link l1 and cam or pry the levers 25 and 26 into parallelism and alignment with the link IT, as indicated inFigure 5;with the plate 32 finally positioned on the upper-surfaces of the levers and link When'the levers 25 and 26, and link I! are-in such position the pivot pin 26 will be caused by action of the spring 36 to be projected into the opening 31 of the link I! and locking these members :together'. The movement of. the

levers 25 and 26 on the pivots 24 of the link l1 causes the outer ends of these levers to travel and be guided by the guide and stop pins 30-3 1. This action will cause the links or sections 18 or l9 to move inwardly toward the center of the ring or axis of the wheel. These several sections or links I1, I23, and I9 are so hinged together that they cannot swing outwardly with respect to one another, but are urged inwardly by the action of the toggle levers toward the center of the ring member. When this is accomplished the inner ring member comprised of its several sections or links will assume a circular position, and is so held due to the toggle arrangement and locking of th toggles to the top section ll. After this operation is completed the pull chain 60 can be attached to one of the other cross chains or to one of the sections or links by a snap hook 62, as shown in Figure 1, passing through an opening 63 in the link IS.

The guide or stop pins 30 and 3| by their engagement with the reduced ends 29 of the levers 25 and 26 prevent the links or sections l8 and 19 from any outward movement, when the toggle levers are connected to the link I! by the pin 28, because the movement of the links is in an inward direction to form a circular like member. The hinge connection between the sections insures this inward direction of movement.

The outer or front ring member is now caused to assume a circular shape and to take up any slack in the cross chains 20 and 22 as a result of applying the inner or rear ring member to the tire. This is accomplished by means of the cylinder 40 and lever 41, wherein the piston rod 4| which may be already attached to the link or section [6 by the hook 44. The rod 48 is now attached to the other section or (link [6 on the opposite side and the lever then swung to a position to overlie the cylinder 40. This action of the lever exerts a pull placing the piston 41 under tension due to the compression of the spring 43 and when the lever 41 is attached to the cylinder by the sleeve 5|, the several sections or links l4, l5 and I6 have been caused to assume the shape of a circle. The pawl or dog 56 has also been caused to enter an opening 59 in the handle 41 to insure against any retractive movement of the piston excepting for the purpose of taking up slack that may occur in any of the cross chains so that the two ring members are maintained in proper position on the wheel and the cross chains held in pro-per engagement with the tire to afiord the proper traction for the tire. When the tir chain is in position, both ring members will overlie the rim ll of the wheel.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that as these ring members are not complete circles and are composed of a series of arcuate sections or links, the tire chain may be readily applied and removed from the wheel without the necessity of elevating the wheel to apply the chains. Their removal is easily accomplished upon the release of the lever 4'! and the retraction of the pin 28, which will release the several sections allowing them to swing freely with respect to the top sections l4 and I1.

I claim:

A tire chain, comprising an outer and an inner ring like member, each comprising a plurality of sections hinged together for swinging movement in one plane, cross chains connecting said sections of said outer and inner ring members for joining said ring members together, toggle levers pivotally connected to one of said sections of one of said ring members, means on other of said sections of said ring member having engagement with said levers, means for moving said levers with respect to said sections and causing said other sections of said ring member to be moved and positioned about the tire, and a cam plate pivoted to said toggle levers engaging said section to which the levers are pivoted for drawing said levers into parallelism with said section when said toggle is operated.

MILOW W. PIKE.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,517,749 Pigott Dec. 2, 1924 1,758,944 Grosch May 20, 1930 1,822,748 Rivers et a1. Sept. 8, 1931 2,094,228 Zook Sept. 28, 1937 2,176,637. Miller Oct. 17, 1939 2,469,235 Lindenthaler May 3, 1949 2,493,263 Prehn Jan. 3, 1950 2,502,102 Davis Apr. 25, 1950 

